May 21, 2008

Figure 1: NGC 2770 as imaged by the Gemini Multi-Object Spectrograph at
Gemini North on Mauna Kea in Hawai‘i. This image in 4.8 arcminutes
on a side and is available in a with and without the recent supernovae
indicated.

In what has been called a supernova factory, the galaxy NGC 2770 has
been captured by the Gemini Observatory in a spectacular new image that
shows at least three recent supernovae locations including SN 2008D
which was announced today to be the first X-ray detection of a
supernovae prior to becoming visible across the spectrum.

The high-resolution color composite image also shows a suspected
companion galaxy that is thought to be interacting with the host galaxy.
It is suspected that these interactions sparked the formation of massive
stars and the resulting fury of supernovae activity in this galaxy.

NGC 2770 is a spiral galaxy located at a distance of about 88 million
light years away in the direction of Lynx a constellation in the
Northern hemisphere.

For more details see the related press release at: http://www.gemini.edu/SN2008D and the paper in the May 22nd, 2008 issue of Nature titled: “An
extremely luminous X-ray outburst marking the birth of a normal
supernova.”

The Gemini Observatory is an international collaboration with two identical 8-meter telescopes. The Frederick C. Gillett Gemini Telescope is located on Maunakea, Hawai'i (Gemini North) and the other telescope on Cerro Pachón in central Chile (Gemini South); together the twin telescopes provide full coverage over both hemispheres of the sky. The telescopes incorporate technologies that allow large, relatively thin mirrors, under active control, to collect and focus both visible and infrared radiation from space.

The Gemini Observatory provides the astronomical communities in five partner countries with state-of-the-art astronomical facilities that allocate observing time in proportion to each country's contribution. In addition to financial support, each country also contributes significant scientific and technical resources. The national research agencies that form the Gemini partnership include: the US National Science Foundation (NSF), the Canadian National Research Council (NRC), the Argentinean Ministerio de Ciencia, Tecnología e Innovación Productiva, the Brazilian Ministério da Ciência, Tecnologia e Inovação and the Chilean Comisión Nacional de Investigación Científica y Tecnológica (CONICYT). The observatory is managed by the Association of Universities for Research in Astronomy, Inc. (AURA) under a cooperative agreement with the NSF. The NSF also serves as the executive agency for the international partnership.